STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 280

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 280 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH COURT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permanently establish and appropriate funds for the Community Outreach Court as a division of the District Court of the First Circuit.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary; Office of the Public Defender; and Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition.

Your Committee finds that a Community Outreach Court Program was established in 2017 to assist non-violent offenders who are charged with offenses that disproportionately impact the homeless community by making court attendance more accessible, resolving any active charges, and utilizing alternative sentences such as community service work. Because the Community Outreach Court Program has proven to be successful in helping its participants address legal matters through alternative sentences, this measure would permanently establish the Community Outreach Court, which would allow participants to obtain basic necessities and, if necessary, access to appropriate social services.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 280, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 280, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair